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Obama taps overseas donor pool

Obama is tapping Americans abroad more than any other presidential campaign. | AP Photo

“Mona is an extraordinarily accomplished and engaging woman, who will speak about her experience as one of the President’s closest and most trusted advisers, and share her insights into the current state of the re-election campaign,” according to a DNC invite posted on the Democrats Abroad site.

Michael Strautmanis, a senior aide to presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett, is scheduled to attend a July Fourth aris fundraiser in Paris, according to a Paris Professionals for Obama Facebook page. Strautmanis is touted on the site as a “close personal friend of the President and First Lady, and currently Deputy Assistant and Counselor for Strategic Engagement to the Senior Advisor!”

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“If you’re an American professional in Paris and you’d love to help Obama win in 2012, this might be your chance,” the Facebook post said.

Obama campaign manager Jim Messina was the main guest at fundraisers last October in Geneva and at the London home of American actress Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay. Obama opinion research director David Simas visited the famous House of Glass on Paris’s Left Bank for a cocktail reception in late March with suggested contributions of $500-$1,500. And Obama campaign attorney and former White House Counsel Bob Bauer attended a Geneva fundraiser with $100-$250 suggested donations and a $35,800 maximum contribution limit.

Democrats Abroad is also working to get Obama reelected with a voter registration drive that highlights the narrow victory margins — well within the number of overseas voters — for Democratic Sens. Al Franken, Mark Begich and Jon Tester. The group is on a 27-city, 13-country bus tour through mid-July to register voters, with stops in Rome, Barcelona and Berlin.

Americans living in Paris also hosted a Gershwin tribute concert earlier this month, and London-based expats organized a “Baroque Obama” musical fundraiser in April.

Of course there are limits: Democrats Abroad considered holding a fundraiser last month in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival but decided against it because of the negative optics.

Americans who can’t even vote in the general election also are filling Obama’s coffers.

Puerto Rico lawyer Andres Lopez has signed on to deliver more than $500,000 in campaign cash, for example.

Obama also is doing well in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where attorney Marjorie Roberts is a national finance committee member and bundler who has committed to raise $200,000-$500,000.

“I’d like to see President Obama succeed,” said Douglas Capdeville, an attorney and New Jersey native who has been living in the Virgin Islands since the 1950s. “We follow him. We are very proud of him. We truly believe he means very well. It’s just the acrimony in the Congress. He can’t get his programs and proposals passed.”

Capdeville wrote Obama a $2,500 check last September; he gave $2,300 in 2008.

Virgin Islands Democrats aren’t expecting Obama to make a trip this cycle; he did visit in 2007 during the Democratic primaries and again for vacation in 2008. But local organizers are hoping to get a surrogate visit timed with any stops in Puerto Rico. Locals who want an up-close look at Obama are also encouraged to make the two-hour flight to attend fundraisers when the president and his team are in South Florida or in East Coast cities.

Republicans Abroad Executive Director Cynthia Dillon said GOPers abroad are attuned to what’s happening in the states and they will be active, especially at the polls, this fall. The group, which doesn’t raise money, is focused on registering voters abroad.

“I think Americans living overseas, everybody, is very concerned about where we are heading,” Dillon said. “It has a ripple effect. People are worried, even if they are there for a long time. They still have relatives here or they still send their kids to school [in the U.S.].”

Here is where it gets tricky. I agree with the pinhead above me (mr. Gator) that if it is legal, it don't matter. However, last time, back in 2008, Barack Obama received millions of dollars in small donations from people who were never identified.

If Obama demands that Mitt Romney identifies his donors, he better do the same with the foreign money. We all know Superman, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck donated to the Obama campaign last time around!

"It’s all legal - the donors are American citizens who pay U.S. taxes - and the net income to the campaigns is paltry compared to the hundreds of millions of dollars raised stateside."

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Then why did you waste the space writing the article?

EXCELLENT QUESTION!!!

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That should ALWAYS be the question. And if this is an excellent question that if it is legal why waste the space writing the article, why is it that Politico constantly goes after Mitt Romney's donors and Gator and dblV fall in the trap of demanding answers?

Liberals should put aside their partisan views and ask this question even when the candidate is from the other party.

I guess they all feel very comfortable around each other.. No stress, huh? Personally, it must be like a who's who of money and who gets the better status.. "Add potential power to money and -- boom, kaboom.. " Joey daDuke

We've heard that Mr. Big is worth $20 Billion..

We know Jamie Dimon makes $100,000 every M,T,W,T,F.. Off on weekends!

Then we know they've got friends in low places 'round their 'globalist world' so what's new under the sun? How 'bout nothing!

"The Golden rule" was yelled-out my one youthful, to become lawyer.. for he loved justice, just like the God Book says that 'we need to do'... Enter MKT Analysis from Carraville Twins script used last evening at the Yugo Theatre. Name comes from you must buy two.. i.e. two comes in the box.. Yugo cars demanded that you buy one for drivin' and one for parts, but many know not.

Takes two to tango with song Rope-A-Dope of mind.. A real pair.. a pare.. a nuanced truce.. "Captivating performance" says QUATRO. But they've got high people in low places also.. They have to figure-out each daze for distribution.. to the lessers. O Ye Plebs.. Bow, now... just kidden now.

"Youth" pure and simple... Remembers that '''we are supposed to love Justice'''. Seems Joey does not like Ward Bond like his ole man.. Too bad..He was such a gleeful person.. I like Ward Bond. My buddy said " Ward Bond was a big anti-Communist. Dear Mickey Rooney, I mean Andy: Why does MSM no longer represent 'that' which they 'used' to represent? Is it because the good ole TV shows are 'over-with'? Do You think Gene Autry would have been at the LGBT Parade at the Pentagon... Or wherever they got-together? Ain;t it funny Andy.. I mean what's going on down here as you watch? Do you get popcorn up there? Is it entertaining? I have to tell you that it can be Andy.. I'm a-tryin'. Hey Andy, if you get a chance tell Matt Dillon to tell me how to handle the Eric Holder scam on decency. Oops, my thought...False Flag Operations

Hell-O Andy.. One More Thing... Do they have False Flags in heaven? I mean have you seen people slip in 'under-the-radar' while God's not looking? I'd think they're just like us.. but are they.. We need to know Andy.. With Love of Justice, I am.

Love justice --- nothing wrong with that and nothing wrong with the Golden Rule

Vessels of corruption - Ye Shall Prove It

Perhaps I am glad that I've not had the temptation of the lure of the money changers.. Seems/appears they've 'skipped' my house so the only 'thing' I can do is to tell some of You that your's will be irretrievable. Did I spell that right? My Editor left me when I lost to NAFTA. A one horse operation here.. but yours shouldn't always be a 'rigged' method of trasportation. where the USA forgets its status of being a Republic.. Remember You Pledge to a Republic, not a Democracy. Joey wonders 'why pledge to anything your' re not going to uphold anyway. "It's habit" was scripted..

"Now go forth and produce fruit"

Forget lying words of one Barry Soetoro and forget the words of one Williard..

BUT in Your lifetime You need to understand the MOL..

You are smarter than that huh? You know of value in a Message Of Liberty..Don't you?

Ort are you succumbing to MKT exploits used scientifically [Bernay's] against You?

And do You believe in the integrity of what's called MSM?

I don't! Way too many deceit to lies, to a real lacking of whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Truth is 3 ways - Truth, the Whole.. and Nothing else.

Why should anyone try to tell anyone that they're missin' the big picture? Waste of time.

Let's just call him a big boy in the money changin' business...He's got a lot of acquantances for certain, and maybe enough froends to bury him. They'll be out to get his too and that makes it funny. But for now.. today.. he rides high on his self-esteemed-facaded horse contributing more than just money to the official ending of the Republic.

ALL of them serve the same master.. not any difference other than scientifically commanded and controlled nuances varying the 'concept' of (R) and (D).. Call them MOTS - More Of The Same

But call the Message Of Liberty the MOL... Can you.. will You.. Enter access to your mind...

I mean zero wrong and 20 bilion right's... Stage Act of Joey daDuke as he 'wrestles with conscious'

Obama surrogates cry hypocrisy on the casino magnate's wealth accumulation outside the U.S.

I noticed that too. It doesnt matter how much Obama pursues the Socialist/Communists money he has thrown to many people under the bus from every nation.

Allot of these people are in other countries because of the hostile taxation policies of this one.

Progressives over the decades have made this country a lesser place to do business so now major corporations are reduced to live in sometimes poverished situations to make money the old fashion way, earn it by building a business.

Obama prefers the new fashion way, sue for it or kick back and let society give it to you.

Can you ever post a comment that does not include name calling? I am sure there is some dysfunction in your life that causes this need, but come on. You resort to name calling even when you some what agree with another person.

No matter the myriad excuses and reasons, that both parties give for seeking money outside of the U.S, its still a sick joke for a sick way of political campaigning. The ex pat donors will dont be the "only" donors. You know there will be foreign special interest money thrown into the pot as well.

That should ALWAYS be the question. And if this is an excellent question that if it is legal why waste the space writing the article, why is it that Politico constantly goes after Mitt Romney's donors and Gator and dblV fall in the trap of demanding answers?

Liberals should put aside their partisan views and ask this question even when the candidate is from the other party.

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Politico, after all, are major supporters of the Obama's re-election team. After November they will be scratching their heads trying to figure out how and why their mesiah lost in a landslide. There will be a bunch of liberal sad sack, so-called journalists, running around trying to figure out what happened to "the one".

Maybe Oholder will have a little more flexibility to these socialist/communist nations, directly relating of course as to how much they give his campaign. I mean after all, if you want a half billion tax free taxpayer dollars all you have to do is bundle some cash for the Crony in Chief.

This guy even became to corrupt for the Unions, I never knew that was possible.